Flat Abs Without Back Pain
The Holidays are over and people all over are looking to drop the extra pounds put on by over-indulging.
The first thought when starting an exercise program is “How do I flatten my stomach?”
One of my favorite ab exercises is using an ab wheel. A simple peice of equipment, basicly a small wheel in the middle of a bar.
You kneel on the floor, put one hand on each side of the wheel and stretch out, ideally until your arms are fully extended and your belly almost touches the floor.
You work your abs and back at the same time.
It’s fast and effective. It’s also hard to do at first.
A few years ago several companies came out with “ab wheel assist technology”. An ab wheel with various springs and gears to “assist” you back to the starting position.
They didn’t work. They were about as effective as buying a bicycle for exercise and then putting a motor on it. You could go through the motions but without effort there isn’t any benefit.
I just ran across an exercise that may replace it as my favorite.
Lie prone on a soft carpet or exercise mat. Put your elbows on the floor in front of you, you can rest your chin on your hands if you like.
Now rise up on your toes, if your properly positioned your torso should be about six inches off the floor and parallel to it.
Hold that position for ten to fifteen seconds the rest for a minute then do it twice more. On each set try to hold a few seconds longer than the last.
Do this three times a week along with a sensible eating and exercise program and you can have your flat stomach or even a six pack by summer.
Check with your doctor before starting any fitness program.